Means for selective disconnection of aileron controls



March 9,1948. R. A. FLYNN 2,437,250

MEANS FOR SELECTIVE DISCONNEC'TION OF AILERON CONTROLS Filed June 5, 1944 amen W0 0 ROBERT AMBROSE FLYNN is pivoted at its upper end to the lever I at 6 nected to each clevis pin for selectively pulling Patented Mar. 9,1948 v UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR SELECTIVE DISCONNECTION OF AILERON CONTROLS Robert Ambrose Flynn, United States Navy Application June 5, 1944, Serial No. 538,797

4 Claims. (01. 244-83) (Granted under the act of March '3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 1 2 The subject of this invention is a. safety deing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined vice for airplanes, to avoid entire loss of lateral in the appended claims. control when damage is sustained to a wing while The invention described herein may be manuin flight and the aileron control of that wing or factured and used by or for the Government of the aileron itself is jammed. the United States of America for governmental The object of this device isto save the airpurposes without the payment of any royalties plane by regaining at least some lateral control, thereon or therefor. in case damage to one wing jams the aileron on What is claimed is: that wing or its control thus otherwise eliminat- 1. In an airplane control system, a control stick ing all possibility of lateral control. ving one set of conventional control connec- Another object is to make this device by a, very tions, said control connections including aileron simple attachment on the control stick which will control connections having a pair of clevis pin not be in the way but will be within easy reach joints therein at opposite sides of said control of the pilot and will be easy to manipulate when stick respectively, means on said control stick, so desired. having a link connected to the pin of each clevis Other and more specific objects of the invention pin joint, for selectively pulling out the clevis will become apparent in the following detailed pin from either one of said pair of clevis pin description thereof, having reference to the acjoints in case of jamming of the corresponding companying drawing, wherein the single figure control connection, to release the stick for actuaclearly shows the arrangement of parts on the tion of the remaining control connections.

control stick, only a portion of which is shown. 2. In an airplane control system, a control stick, The preferred form of the invention as shown a pair of control surface connections extending in the drawing comprises a pair of lever arms I from the stick to opposite sides of said airplane,

and 2 having a common pivot 3 on the control to control movement of said airplane about its stick 4 and formed angularly as shown so that longitudinal axis, clevis pin joints in said control normally they would not present any undue prosurface connections, clevis pins in said joints and jecting obstructions. A rod 5 formed as shown means on said control stick having a link conand its lower end serves as a pin for the clevis 1, out the pin from one of said joints in case of one portion of which is integral with the control jamming of the correspo d Control Connection stick, the other being connected to the left aileron to release the stick for actuation of the other concontrol. The loop 8 attached to the control stick trol connection. serves to guide the rod 5. r 3. In an airplane control system, a control stick, A similar linkage comprising the rod 9 pivoted a set of control surface connections extending at ID to the arm 2, guide II and clevis I2 is arfrom said stick to opposite sides of said airplane, ranged for the right aileron control. connectiflns including pair of clevis D When it is desired to release either control Jomts mounted on Opposite Sides of Said Stick which might be jammed, the corresponding arm for connection to the control stick in a conven- I or 2 is pulled up, pulling the rod out of the clevis, mortal manner and Said stick h i thus releasing the control stick for free operai Connected to h pm of each. clef/1s pm tion of the other aileron. jofit for select1vely pulling out the clev1s pin from e1 er one of said join s, in case of jamming of AS lesult an alrplane Whlch mlght other the corresponding control surface, to release said wise result in a total loss besides endangering c ontrol t ck for ac the lives of its occupants, might be saved by retrol confielcfions. tuatlon of the Temalnlng 0 ining suflicient lateral stability to e e an 4. In an aircraft having a single set of control e n y landing wllfh llttle no damage to surfaces connected for actuation by a single conthe remainderof the aircraft or t e personnel trol stick and a pair of clevis pin connections at- Vanous mod1ficat10ns in form, slze nd r a tached to said control stick and connected to said ment of this device may be made without departcontrol surfaces on opposite sides of said aircraft respectively; means on said control stick readily accessible to the pilot and having a, link connected to each clevis pin for selectively withdrawing the clevis pin from one of said pair of clevis pin connections, in case of jamming of the corresponding control surface, to release said control stick for free actuation of the remaining control surfaces.

ROBERT AMBROSE FLYNN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 10 299,192

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Landon July 5, 1921 Thomas Sept. 14, 1926 Andersen Sept. 8, 1931 Fox Oct. 1, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Oct. 25, 1928 France July 21, 1913 Great Britain Apr. 20, 1937 France Nov. 8, 1928 

